A cold flame
by Jason horan
Summary: Zuko is banished,and sent off to sea alone to Die. But fate has other plans for the young prince.
1. Chapter 1

Chp 1

Chp 1

Zuko woke up screaming, His face hurt so much. he reaches towards his face only to have his arm caught

. "Don't touch prince zuko," a woman's voice reprimands him. " It's still raw you need to leave it alone or you'll make it worse." she explains "It can't get worse!" He snaps the flames shooting up from the candles in the room. "You're still alive aren't you."

. They both turn at the sound of the door opening up. "General iroh" She says bowing. "Please leave us." He says leaving no room for arguments

"Of course." says bowing once more turning and walking out leaving the two of them "Uncle where's father?" zuko says hopefully, Iroh sits next to his bed tears forming in the corner of his eyes. "Prince zuko, your father has decreed that.. That you have dishonored yourself and he has banished you." B..Banished?" he ass voice small

"The only way you can return to the fire nation is to capture the avatar, who hasn't been seen in a century." "W..Why would he do this, h...how could he?" zuko says tears streaming down his cheek and iroh pulls him into a hug. "I'm so sorry zuko, there's nothing i can do, he won't even allow me to accompany you." iroh says breaking and crying along with him.

Half a day later iroh walks zuko towards a small metal vessel at the docks. "Zuko, i'm so sorry. i should never have let you accompany me. This is my i promise you nephew that i will find a way to bring you home." he says sadly

zuko not responding, just staring ahead trying to keep his head high, they reach the boat and iroh bows to zuko. "We will meet again prince zuko, one day. I know it." he says tears running down his cheeks.

Zuko turns not responding and shutting the door behind him, he was leaving his home, for what would most likely be the last time, even he didn't understand how he felt.

Zuko had been on his ship for weeks, Uncle had written out the steps to sailing the ship and filled it with as many supplies as he could gather, and zuko had been letting the currents lead him.

Zuko lays in his bed below deck, when the ship suddenly hitting something and the lurch throwing him from his bed onto the cold metal floor. he stands up quickly making his way above deck to find his ship surrounded ice, it had burrowed its way in deep before losing its momentum stranding him., he had reached a pole, but he couldn't bring himself to care,

even the chill in his bones seemed inconsequential to him, he had no one and nothin, he sighs turning and heading towards the helm. He closes the door behind him grabbing a blanket from the seat and wrapping it around his shoulders turning the ship's engines off and staring at the endless sheet of Ice before him. "Agni help me." he says softly scanning the horizon his eyes eventually finding grey smoke on the horizon and a wall of snow that he wasn't ready to try to reach.

He stands up wrapping the blanket tighter around him and walks out heading back below deck, Maybe agni would reward his father and he would die in his sleep tonight some dark part of his mind thinks.

"We should tell dad" a young male voice whines " the ships scary, and grangran says metal ships are bad."an arm wraps around each of their shoulders. "C'mon scaredy cats, Dad never said that this ship was forbidden like the other one, what if there's strange weapons inside sokka? And katara, what if there's a water bending scroll for us? "

"I do like weapons…"sokka says "A scroll?" katara asks eyes wide with hope "Then were all agreed let's go." She says letting them go and walking forward towards the ship

As They reach the ship the eldest of the group climbs a snow pile around the base walking onto the deck her feet making a soft metallic noise with each step "Strange" She mutters looking around her eyes resting on a metal door before walking towards it.

"WAIT THERE'S SMOKE!" she hears sokka yell as she pushes the door open coming face to face with a sword. "Leave." A rough male voice says and her eyes widen as she follow the sword to look at a boy in his teens with a heavy burn covering part of his face, "Your hurt?" She says ignoring the sword in her face

"Just go" he threatens her "The fire nation hurt you?" she guesses. " They hurt us too." She says as she unconsciously raises her hand towards his burn,

He flinches back and she takes the moment to slap the sword out of his hand and pick him up over her shoulder. "Were gonna get you something for that eye." "Drop me!" he says kicking and trying to get out but quickly tiring. Not taking care of himself a mistake that left him weak and he was paying for it, he never thought things through. "Korra are you ok?!" katara and sokka ask in unison running up onto the ship. "Who's this?" sokka asks suspiciously. "This is my new friend, were taking him to get his burns treated." she tells him.

"He doesn't look happy." katara tells her looking at his face. "Why wouldn't he be happy, a beautiful girl is carrying him around." she says grinning

"Are you going to hand me to someone else?" zuko asks spitefully from her shoulder earning sneakers from katara and sokka and angry words from korra.

Korra caries zuko into gran grans tent tossing him onto a spare cot. "Stay." She tells him turning and walking outside returning moments later with hakoda.

"Who's this?" Hadoka asks staring at the young man that his daughter korra had brought into their village. "This is the boy I found in the ship at the end of the ice."

He turns to her. "Korra that ship is forbidden." " not that one, the new one we found this morning" she says as if it was obvious "You found a strange metal ship, and you took your younger siblings too it without alerting any of your elders." He asks anger and disappointment filling his voice.

"I'll deal with you later." he says turning to zuko who was looking at the floor. "Raise your head boy." he tells him and zuko raises head golden eyes meeting blue ones. "Korra leave us." But." she protests.

"Leave!" he orders and she stairs eyes wide quickly turns and leaves, never hearing her father talk like that.

"What is a fire nation child doing all the way out here." zuko says nothing just staring defiantly "Answer me boy." he commands him..

"I was banished!" zuko says spitting the word as if it was poison. "Banished and burned, sent out to sea alone to die by my own father, he wanted me dead and he couldn't do it himself so he sent me out hoping the sea or starvation would kill me." the defiance slowly drained out of him throughout his answer, a brokenness that no child should feel taking hold. Making hadokas fatherly instincts get the better of his common sense This boy was around the same age as his children. What kind of father would try to kill his children?

. "Back before the war… the water tribe would often…" He pauses considering his offer and if he was sure . "Take in orphaned children of other nations, and i can't bring myself to kill a child, i won't. if you renounce your old nation and if you can prove yourself to the tribe you can stay here."

"J….Join the water tribe?" zuko asks confused. "If you work at it here you could live out your life in a sort of piece." "Piece?" zuko asks the word feeling foreign on his tongue. It was something he never thought he would find "That sounds...nice"


	2. Chapter 2

Zuko and Hakoda walk out of the tent hours later and he gestures zuko towards a large igloo .

"Go their, my mother in law will give you some warmer clothing."

Zuko bows in a traditional fire nation style. "Thank you sir."

"Enough of that, call me hakoda."

"Yes, si.. Hakoda."

Zuko bows again before turning and walking towards the Igloo

"Hello.?" he asks awkwardly standing in the doorway.

"Come in." an elderly voice calls and zuko walks in to see a kind looking elderly woman.

"Hakoda..sent me." he says aquardly "He says i can get warmer clothing from you."

She turns around gasping slightly, "Fire Nation clothing?"

"It doesn't matter, im part of the watertribe now." She looks into his eyes for a moment before turning around and grabbing clothing. "These should work for now." Shesays handing them to him and pointing at hanging furs. "You can change behind their."

He walks over stepping through them and starting to remove his ice cold armor setting them against the wall pulling on the warm blue clothing.

"Would you like me to give you something for that burn."

His eyes widen. "If you would." She nods before grabbing a salve and bandages

"Come sit down here." he sits in the chair and she applies the salve bandaging his face.

"You boys never care for yourselves." "I ran out of salve." "They probably wanted it to become infected." He hangs his head. "My banishment was supposed to be a death sentence" he says sadly and grangran pulls him into a hug. "Im sorry, i shouldn't have said that."

"We need to remember the past, no matter how bad it is, our past drives us towards our futures,"

"You sound like my uncle."

"Than your uncle must be wise, now go find my grandchildren i need to speak with hakoda."

"The girl, the boy, or the tomboy." "Don't let korra hear you calling her that." "So her names korra, she doesn't scare me." "Is that so?" korra says from the doorway and zuko turns towards her in time for her to slam into him knocking him to the ground "

"I'll teach you to call me a tomboy." Zuko struggles against her unable to overpower her

"Gran gran, i'm going to play with our new friend." she says snatching a coil of rope and tying it around his arms and legs dragging him out of the tent zuko looking hopefully at grangran only for her to shrug

"Let me go!" he yells at her "No"

"Have you no honor?"

"You insulted me, honor does not factor into revenge." his eyes widen and he gulps.

"Azula said something similar." He mutters redoubles his efforts to escape

Korra sits on zuko's chest staring at him.

"Why are you so pale?" She asks him

"I come from a bright place. He tells her and she continues to stare at him

"You're cute." She says off handedly making zuko blush.

"Get off of me!" he yells barely restraining his flames

"No, you called me a tomboy, that is a punishable offence."

"I've already been punished." he says softly

When a male voice yells. "Korra!" she looks up to see sokka and katara running towards them stopping when they see zuko. "It's the spy." "Gran-gran says he one of us now" Katara tells him "Stop being stupid sokka," Korrasays.

"Gran gran may say that but dad will know better, he'll get rid of this fire nation spy you'll see!" he says huffing and stalking away through the snow. "He's such a drama queen." korra says turning towards katara.

"Now katara, what should we do with him. I can't decide."

"Let him go."

"You're no fun" she says

"I like her idea." "Shush"

Korra says waving her hand and freezing his mouth shut as he stares at her wide eyed. "We could paint on his face, or send him down a slope."

Kattara giggles. "Or let naga play with him."

Korra grins and whistles loudly and a half sized polar bear dog pup comes into view running towards them. his eyes go wide and he grabs the knot on the rope heating it up with his hand.

The dog comes to a stop in front of korra. "Naga, you can play with our new friend here." She says and the rope snaps zuko snapping to his feet finding himself face to face with a polar bear dog and korra examining the snapped ropes.

"I like him." she says grinning as he takes off onto the polar expanse. "Naga wait." she tells her.

Hours later zuko hides in an icy cave under the snow as the sun starts to set causing the temperature to drop drastically.

He shivers bone cold even through his new clothing.

"Damn it." he says teeth chattering as heavy footsteps approach above him

"Damn dog." he says preparing to run. "He in their girl?"

"Even worse." he says as the roof opens up korra dropping in landing in a couch in front of him. "Dad wants you back in the village." She says taking in his shaking. "Your freezing aren't you?" She says holding out her hand pulling him to his running in through the caves opening. Korra climbing on top holding out her hand.

Zuko stares at her hand . "Man up." she says and he grabs her hand climbing up shakily onto nagas back. "Naga go." korra says and naga starts to run making zuko yelp and wrap his arms around her waist causing her to blush lightly. "Never again." he tells her through grit teeth.

When they reach the village korra pulls him into her fathers tent setting him near a fire, warm up." she says pulling off his coat and wrapping a blanket around his shoulders. "Dads telling the tribe about you, he'll come here once he's done." She says setting down across from zuko "so to kill time i'm going to ask you some questions."

"What is your name?" She asks. "Zuko."

"How old are you."

"Im 13." "Im 12." She tells him staring intently.

"What happened to your face?" she asks suddenly and the fire flickers.

"That is none of your business." he tells her coldly.

"I'll find out eventually zuko." She says as hakoda walks in. "She always does." he adds

Sokka and katara walking in after him.

"Its annoying sokka says."

"You're just angry that i am a better detective than you are." she tells him sticking her tounge out at him. Hakoda walks over sitting in front of the fire. "Wall zuko its oficial, you're one of us now." "Tomorrow we will build you a hut, and begin teaching you what it means to be part of the tribe."

"You're one of us now." korra says grinning at him.


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own Avatar the last air-bender, or The legend of Korra

Chp 3

Zuko had been away from his old home for over a year, and the southern pole was finally starting to feel like one to him. He had spent most of his time around korra, sokka and katara, korra had made sure of that.

Zuko sits in the center of his tent staring at the fire meditating, the fire moving along with his breathing. This was the only training he was still willing to

"Zuko?" His eyes open and he sees korra parting his tents flaps and stepping

"Why is your tent always so much warmer than everyone else's?"

"Because i'm better at building fires." he says offhandedly making korra chuckle.

"I haven't told you zuko but me dad katara and sokka are sailing for the Northern watertribe tomorrow, and we'll be gone for a long time." She blurts out.

"How long?"

"6 Months, at least. Maybe longer"

"Oh…" he says softly not knowing what else to say

"I'll write." she blurts , "i'll write you and you better write back zuko."

"And if i don't." he asks and she reaches over grabbing his shirt and lifting him off of his feet.

"Very bad things will happen to you." she warns darkly and he nods quickly.

"fine i'll write you too." he concedes quickly and she drops him sitting on a bench in front of the fire pulling off her parka and tossing it onto his bed. .

"So why are you leaving?"

"There are no southern water benders left so for me to learn i need to go north."

"And katara?" "She's going to learn, but we cant learn here because the fire nation killed all of our benders decades ago, the ice shakes and the fire shoots up zuko stealthily reining it in thinking it was his doing. "Calm down or you'll hurt someone." He tells her resting his hand on her shoulder and she looks down.

"Im sorry.. It's just the fire nations already taken so much, the air nomads. The souther waterbenders and their teachings. My mother."

"that's something we have in common." He says sitting down next to her. "Really" she asks looking over at him his eyes staring into the flames.

"You never speak of your past, do you miss her."

"Every day." he says softly "No matter how much i try to forget i can't." He says and korra wraps her arms around him in a tight hug. "Memories are important zuko." tightening her hug. "Don't forget me." She all but begs him.

"I don't think i could"

Zuko and korra had talked far into the night korra eventually falling asleep zuko had moved her to the bed and pulled the furs over her eventually falling asleep on the bench near the fire., he woke up on the bed alone in his tent, korra must have woke up and moved him back onto his bed during the night.

Zuko dresses quickly pulling on his parka grabbing a set of dual dao a spear and heading out onto the ice field, something was calling out to him out their. Something had changed and zuko could feel it he just hoped he was ready.

He walks for hours and hours going farther than he had ever before towards whatever he felt calling to him

"Trees?" he mutters confused at the forest hidden among the ice and snow. He slides down the side of the bowl walking into the forest feeling something shift around him as he nears the center The spiritual nexus point sitting upon what was once a spiritual portal calling out to the grandson of avatar Roku

Zuko sets his spear and swords down and sits down crosleged setting his palms in his lap closing his eyes and mellowing his breathing when suddenly his senses are flooded with the sound of thousands crying out in pain as they die

His eyes shot open and he throws himself to his feet holding out his hands and turning in a circle searching for something anything to explain.. That.

"Whose their?!" he demands his breathing ragged

"Calm yourself prince zuko." a wise voice tells him and he spins around coming face to face with avatar roku a dull blue glow surrounding him.

"What you heard prince zuko, was the death cries of the air nomads as sozin had them massacred."

"Why, why would you make me hear that?" Zuko demands

"So you would know, know why This war needs to end, why you must help stop it, help stop your father."

"He's my father."

"Yes, but that doesn't make him any less a monster, and it doesn't make what you're families been doing to this world anymore right"

He hangs his head "Im not strong enough to stand against him, i wouldn't even be able to stand against azula."

"Then you must train yourself, you have years to train your bending and steele yourself for what must be done. The south pole is a harsh place for a firebender but it will be the perfect place for you to train."

"But why me? Why does it have to be me."

"Because you're great grandfather began this and now it falls to you to help the avatar finish it."

"The avatar has been reborn."

"Yes, and you're paths will one day cross when the time is right. And you must train her in the art of firebending, and stand by her side when she brings balance back to this world." and then he was gone, leaving zuko alone in the frozen forest his mind racing.


	4. Chapter 4

Chp 4

Zuko rises with the sun in a small tent near the forest, he had been out for 3 days now training and hunting. He had been warned about heading out alone but he couldn't be seen bending, he didn't want to break the trust he had earned. Korra had left 8 months ago and he hadn't been able to bring himself to write her back, their was too much on his mind.

"Zuko!" he hears a voice yell turning to see katara running towards him.

"Katara? You guys are back?" he says straining his sword to his side.

"You need to hide zuko!" "What?"

"Korras coming, she's on a warpath here."

"And why would she?"

"Because you never wrote her zuko, which by the way is very rude. Why didn't you write?"

"Something happened to me katara… I had a vision and it's been weighing on my mind for months."

"You should talk to korra about that… in a month when she calms down." he looks up to see korra riding towards him on naga, the ice tearing apart behind her

." Her training took well." he says swallowing a lump in his throat.

"She is a master now."

"run along katara me and your sister need to.. Talk."

"ill make sure they give you a nice funeral zuko." katara says running off and zuko rests his hand on the dual dao on his hip just in case. He rolls back as he dodges a pillar of ice catching korra's foot in the air and throwing her back. Korra flipping in the air landing on her feet. "I have a good excuse" he says

. "Oh, i bet you do!" he dodges her fist. "So what's this excuse?!" she demands the ground under zuko opening up forcing zuko to jump back

. "You'll mock me korra, but i had a vision."

"A.. a vision." she pauses

" I found a spiritual place amongst the ice, and I was shown the part ill need to play one day."

"Bull shit." his eyes widen.

"Thats all ive heard for the past 8 months, spirituality, fate destiny. My part to play. She suddenly moves forward slamming her feet into his chest, knocking him onto his back and knocked the air out of him.

"You had a vision and suddenly your promise to me means nothing? Am I that unimportant to you zuko?" she says hurt seeping into her voice .

"letter after letter and not once did you respond."

"I know, I should have korra, but what i was told, agni i don't know if I can do it. My minds a messi know what i have to do to regain my honor but I don't know if I can bring myself to do it." she grabs his collar lifting him into the air.

"I know about fate, more than anyone i do. But sometimes you have to say to hell with all of the spirits, to hell with what you've been told to do and pick the path you want.."

"What do I want?" zuko zuko says softly knocking korra's arms away and moving forward catching her lips into a kiss her eyes widening before she kisses him back.

Zuko finally pulls away from korra.

"You.. you kissed me."

"I did."

"But why?"

"Because I like you, and I got caught up in the moment when you told me I should do what I want." she blushes

"You're still not off the hook."

"I know, I should have written but roku…"

"Roku?!" she cuts him off

. "Avatar roku visited you?"

"Yes, in that foret it was roku."

"Take me their

"What?"

"The forest zuko, take me to the forest."

"Fine, it's a few hours from here we should take naga." she whistles and naga runs over korra climbing on holding her hand down for zuko who takes it Korra pulling him up not letting go of his hand.

"Which way?" she asks and zuko gestures korra leading naga in the direction he had gestured too.

"Naga stay." korra says as she and zuko slide down the side into the forest zuko leading her into the center keeping his hand on his sword handle memories of screams ringing through his mind korra passing him the center calling out to her sitting down where zuko had sat.

"I'm gonna meditate, don't do anything weird to my body."

"Don't say things like that!" he says blushing. She chuckles shutting her eyes

Korra's body slumps and she finds herself standing near zuko over her body.

"That's weird." she mutters turning around to see a young boys with arrow tattoos,

"HI"

"Who are you."

"Im aang, the avatar before you."

"Oh, hello ang. Its nice to finally meet you.. Me us?"

"You're probably wondering why they never mentioned me huh? I ran away before the war and was frozen for nearly 100 years before my body finally gave out."

"But, you look so young." she says sadly.

"I'm the same age as you are korra." he argues childishly.

"So you're just small then?" she mutters and he sticks his tongue out at her.

"Roku told me to tell you something, you can't tell zuko that you're the avatar."

"What? Why not?" he says not to tell you but zuko won't be able to follow his destiny if he knows." she groans.

"This again, when can i tell him then?"

"well tell you when it's time,"

"Great, I thought you'd be more stubborn."

"I need to go back, before zuko gets worried."

"Ok, go make kissy faces with your boyfriend." aang says laughing at korra's blush

"Shut up" she says as she moves back into her body her eyes shooting open.

"Did it work?'

"Yea, i got a vision. I Like at the northern oasis." she says mockingly.

"The north that bad?"

"Bunch of sexist pigs, they almost didn't teach me."

"That's wrong. Ones bending is a spiritual matter." her eyes widen. "Are you a bender?" she asks excitedly "n.. No i'm not an earth bender."

"Pft earth? No zuko i'm asking if you're a firebender."

" me a firebender. No way.." he says looking away from her."

"You're a bad liar,." she says moving towards him.

"Show me."

Zuko steps back. " come on zuko, just a little fire."

"Im. im not a firebender."

"Oh so you can kiss me, but you can't show me a little fire?"

"He groans,

"Oh come on zuko i don't care, I knew you were fire nation since i saw your eyes."

He sighs "Don't tell anyone." he says holding up his palm, a small flame appearing in it. Zuko not looking at korra.

"Amazing." she says grinning at him

"If you tell anyone i'll have to leave, and I don't want to leave."

"As if id let them separate us again." she says determined and zuko smiles softly.

"Do you train?'

"Since the vision, roku told me I have to right my ancestors wrongs."

"What exactly did he tell you zuko."

"I'd rather not talk about that yet, im still coming to terms."

"You're no fun, fine lets get back before dad thinks we're doing something out here"

She starts walking stopping suddenly. "Hey zuko, are we dating?" "id like to." he confesses."

"So would i"

"So were dating now?"

"Yes we're dating." korra says happily.


	5. Chapter 5

(t.s a few years so zuko is 18 and korra is i changed the rating because i have no idea how the rating works)

korra sits in the center of the forest meditating, with Aang. He had been trying to help her get through her spiritual blockage but her way of thinking was not meshing well with air-bender philosophy .

"I want to tell him aang." she says standing behind herself.

"Soon korra, soon you'll tell zuko and head out to learn earthbending, and firebending and finally you will learn the art of airbending." he tells her hands up. "Yea, airbending. She says "when I can't even meditate properly."

"These things take time, the airbender way of meditation might not be best for you to connect with your spiritual side, maybe you should ask zuko he meditates all the time." he says shrugging

"Fire-nation meditation, that sounds interesting." she agrees returning to her body and heading out to find zuko. Every few days the two of them would head out onto the ice Korra heading to the forest to meditate and meet with her past lives under the guise of water-bending training and zuko heading out on his own to train his fire-bending.

* * *

Zuko holds his hand out in front of him a massive wave of fire flying out him holding it for as long as he can before the flames start to flicker and he drops it before throwing out his other hand repeating the process stopping when he hears a whistle

"you're shirtless, and steaming." she notes and zuko breaths out warming himself. Turning to her.

"The cold makes training more difficult," he tells her and she chuckles.

"Speaking of training she says walking towards him and eyeing his chest, I need some tips on meditation and fire might be a better fit than air bender meditation. She says.

"I'll show you, but some things won't transfer between water and fire. He warns.

"Tonight. Meet me in my tent. Ill show you how to meditate." she grins.

"Thanks zuko." she says forming a seat out of the ice.

"You can continue, i like watching you firebend." zuko starts to run through the more advanced firebending forms wanting to show korra something impressive and korra watches him, memorizing how he moves. His foot stance, korra took to bending like a fish to water and her father had acquired her earth bending scrolls and she had seen zuko's firebending scrolls but seeing zuko bend was something different.

"The stance is important yea?"

"Yes firebending requires a solid stance." he says not breaking his form while speaking.

"I'm curious what does your bending feel like?"  
"it's like having the sun in your veins," he tells her finishing the set

"Sun in your veins.?" she asks.

"The fire nation is a very warm place, the sun here won't warm you like it does their." He tells her walking over to her and grabs his shirt pulling it on and his parka over that. "We should head back, I need to figure out how to explain fire nation meditating to a firebender." 'damn' she thinks "ok, grangran should have the sea prunes ready." she says and zuko gags. "Oh man up, sea prunes are the best." she says punching his shoulder. And whistling for naga.

* * *

The full moon rests over head and zuko sits in his tent. Candles spread out all around and lit. korra opens the flaps walking inside pausing.

"Mood lighting?" she asks wiggling her eyebrows.

"I'm going to show you how I meditate, and this is my preferred method."

"Is this why dad always has to order candles." he nods and sits down legs crossed. " korra copying him.

"The way I would tell it to a firebender is to feel the flicker of the flames and to bring them inline with your breathing, its as much an exercise in control as it is meditation." he closes his eyes and breathes in and out the candles moving along with his breathing and korra watches fascinated.

Korra watches him for a few minutes before grinning.

"Still Looks like Mood lighting" she tells him again and the flames flicker her grin.

"So calm concentration is required?" she notes sitting across from him and closing her eyes and breathing along with zuko feeling the flames moving her eyes widening. "It's like a heartbeat." she says softly the two of them losing track of time.

"Ok that's enough." she says standing.

"It's the full moon zuko, kataras out in the water training and i need to do something, spar with me." she says grabbing his hand and pulling him to his feet.

"What? I don't want to risk burning you korra." she snorts.

"I'm a master waterbender and this is the night of the full moon zuko, i think ill be fine." he still looks hesitant as korra pulls him from the tent zuko's wiping his hand and putting out the candles as they go.

* * *

Zuko stands across from korra.

"This isn't an agni kai, we need to stop before anyone gets hurt." he tells her and she nods impatiently. "Come on zuko, show me how your training has paid off, and i'll show you mine." she says and zuko moves forward quickly jumping high and bringing a flaming foot down korra rolling back and forming a whip out of the melted snow swinging it towards zuko's leg only for him to block it with his own whip. "I didn't know fire could be used like that." she says smiling as he forms a second one.

"Normally it wouldn't be, but ive learned a thing or two from watching water bending." he says countering another slash and rolling out of the way of a pillar of ice from behind lunging forward jumping over her and kicking her leg out from under her. Only to be grabbed by her and thrown.

"Tsk tsk zuko." she says playfully. He watches as she stands taking in how beautiful she looks under the moonlight as she charges at him and he flips back dodging a kick from her as she tries to keep him off balance.

" I thought this was a spar" he tells her as she brings her arms up in. A single fluid motion forming a wave out of the ice melted by zuko's flame. Leaving zuko soaked and korra laughing. Here.

"she says holding her hand out to him and he smirks pulling her down with him soaking her too. She laughs before moving the puddle and throwing it onto him. She grins Leaning forward and kissing him neither of them pulling away from the other until they are out of breath. Zuko blows out a breath of flame, the cold soaking into his bones, his clothing starting to freeze

"Lets head back inside ." he says and she agrees whistling for naga korra whispering into nagas ear as she licks her face and runs off. "Come on, you're gonna use that fire of yours to keep my place warm." she says pulling him towards her pulls him inside and sitting him on a chair facing away from her.

"Don't peek." she says and he hears wet clothes being pulled off and thrown into the corner

"Ok, you can look." he turns around to see korra standing in front of him wearing nothing but her wraps his cheeks turning red.

"Korra?" "You're making me feel self conscious staring like that."

"You're Beautiful" he tells her and she blushes "Just come over here and kiss me zuko." he stands wet clothes the farthest thing from his mind as he moves across the room pulling her against him and kissing her, pulling back when he feels her hand at the hem of his shirt.

"Are you sure about this korra?"

"Completely, i love you zuko." he helps her pull his jacket and shirt off and korra pulls him into another kiss turning the two of them and pushing zuko back onto her bed of furs


	6. Chapter 6

Korra finds herself standing suddenly, looking over her own body asleep in Zuko's arms, both of them wrapped in warm furs, a fire blazing in the center of her home.

"I'm sorry to have to take you away from this happy moment but we need to talk." She turns to find avatar kyoshi. "Kiyoshi? Why are you here, it's usually Aang."

"Aang and roku did not want to come to you like this." she gestures to her sleeping nude form "The useless men" she admonishes

"What's so important that you had to interrupt what has to be the most peaceful sleep of my life?"

"The time has come for you to begin your journey and master the elements,and i'm sorry to say that this is where yours and zuko's paths diverge."

"No,.i'll bring zuko with me"

"The choice isn't yours korra, it's his. He has a destiny of his own." and with that korra wakes up to see the fire moving along with zuko's breath. "Shes wrong." she says determined and zuko shifts, his eyes opening. "Morning." "Good morning." she says smiling at him.

"My dads gonna kill you.'' She says singsong and he goes pale sitting up. "I only have one good eye." he mutters looking for his pants. "Calm down I'm joking, dad wouldn't dare hurt you. But we are due back at noon and we need to get dressed" she stands and he can't tear his eyes away from her as she dresses until she throws his pants at his face.

"Get dressed perv."

* * *

A metal ship cuts through the ice field into the village , fire bender soldiers standing on deck waiting for them to reach the village, the ship smashing through the wall and the ramp droping into the snow, the soldiers rushing down to meet the water tribe warriors. Azula watching them from above disinterested. She was looking for water benders hopping to force the avatar out from wherever they were.

* * *

Black snow falls from the sky and Korra's eyes widen. "Naga!" she yells the polar bear dog rushing over and korra pulling herself up grabbing zuko's arm and pulling him up to the dog running back towards camp. "It's the fire nation." she tells him feeling him tense up against her.

"They cant see me." he says voice tight

"They won't, I'll fight them."

"I don't want you to get hurt."

"I won't, I'm a master waterbender remember."

'And adept with fire and earth.' she ads mentally as they near the village zuko falling sideways off of naga rolling and disappearing between the huts.

"Wow that was cool."korra notes impressed by his ninja skills

"MOVE!" She calls and the warriors retreat, korra jumping off naga the snow by her feet turning into a tidal wave slamming into the fire nation soldiers freezing them into place before the wall of ice violently explodes the smell of burnt ozone prominent.

"A waterbender here? Looks like the southern raiders killed the wrong woman." Korra's eyes widen and with a yell she charges the smaller woman who effortlessly flips back bringing a foot engulfed in blue flames into the center of korra's chest, ice spikes shooting towards her as korra straightens herself up gasping for air. Before dodging a fist grabbing azula's sleeves and throwing her azula righting herself sending a blast of fire at her korra bringing a wall of ice up to block it moving her palms forward ice spikes shooting out towards Azula who turns them all to water.

"You're a credit to the watertribe, but that is not saying much." and with that shes on her slamming twofists into her stomach blasting her with a blast of fire much stronger than the last burning her back and into an igloo following it up with another zuko jumping from Agni knows where knocking it away a small white porcelain mask resting on his face.

"Hey that's mine." a child yells his mother shushing him

"Princess azula." he greets.

"You have me at a disadvantage, you know my name but i don't know yours."

"I'm no one important."

"Oh, I doubt that." she says and she's on him zuko meeting her attacks and sending them away rolling back as korra's boot comes down over his shoulder planting his hands spinning and sending a torrent of flame at azula her eyes lighting up at the barest hints of blue in his flame.

"You are something." she says disinterested. Zuko noticed the burn along korra's stomach.

"Damn you loverboy, I'm sore because of you."

she admonishes and he chokes for a moment, his eyes resting on hadoka glad he hadn't heard.

"She's one of the strongest firebenders you'll ever meet. Be careful." She nods and they move forward fighting in sink, keeping Azula on her toes the prodigy trading attacks with them, the cold getting to her. Zuko leans back expecting a blast only for Azula to feint pulling up and grabbing his mask, ripping the cords free her eyes widening. "Zuzu?" she asks backflipping and stepping onto the metal ramp of the boat.

"You're supposed to be dead dear brother." she says earning gasps from the people he had lived with for years, Korra looking at him. "You're the prince?" he ignores her.

"I'm sure father will be disappointed."

"Oh unbelievably so, after you dishonored yourself in front of the entire nation you can't even die properly."

"I was a child, what he did to me was wrong."

"I have an idea, come with me and i'll leave this place alone. What i'm looking for isn't here anyways. If the avatar was here you'd have captured them and reclaimed your honour."

He flinches at that hazarding a glance at the people who had taken him in.

"I'll go." he says resigned to his fate

"Zuko don't!'' Korra pleads with him.

"Oh brother, you didn't. Mai will be so disappointed."

"Take me instead.'' Korra says stepping in front of him.

"What would I want with my brother's concubine?" korra grits her teeth at concubine

"I'm the avatar." Korra tells her and zuko feels something in him break. What a cruel jokes the Spirits had played on him. Making him fall in love with the one person he needed to find to get home. "Prove it then, and i'll let my brother go."

Korra forms a small flame in her hands and Azula nods gesturing to her newly freed soldiers to bring her Zuko weakly grabbing the back of her shirt. Only for a spear to roughly hit the back of his neck rendering him unconscious.

* * *

Zuko wakes up tied to a chair. "Zuko, where would your sister take my daughter."

"Straight to ozai."

"Your father." he says and zuko flinches.

"Sadly."

He stares at him sternly before turning and leaving the room something cutting through the tent sokka and katara climbing through.

"We're going after korra."

"Katara said we need to bring you traitor." he burns through his bindings standing from the chair.

"Go distract your father, and meet me at my ship." he tells them slipping through the hole and following the shadows to his hut grabbing a backpack and packing up the little possessions he has. Going to leave and stopping, realizing how much he would miss this place, his home. He shakes his head to clear it before walking out the door not knowing if he'd ever return or if he'd even be welcome.

Zuko climbs up onto the side of his ship at the edge of the ice shelf, katara and korra had helped him free it years ago incase it was ever needed going to work lighting the fire below deck and climbing back up, these ships had been specially designed for a lone firebender to use and his uncles notes had been a good teacher. He hears footsteps on the metal opening the door to find katara and sokka carrying four packs.

"Gran gran caught us, she gave us packs. Nagas here too." her head peaks around the corner and he groans.

"Ok fine, naga stay on deck. You two get in here." he pulls them in and shuts the door blasting the furnace with another blast of fire the pipes creaking as it heats up the propeller spinning he looks out the window before looking back at them.

"Azula's ship is faster than ours, we'll need to track them. Knowing azula shell stops at the nearest port to send word to the firelord."

"Your father." sokka spits.

"Yes, my father. who banished me to die at 13."

'Sokka !" Katara elbows him in the side.

"My sister is a prodigy, we can't beat her head on. We need to get korra and get out before she finds us."

"Yea you're sisters terrifying, she fought korra. Korras the strongest person i know."

"Yea she's the avatar." katara adds making zuko flinch.

"Yes she's the avatar, and she needs our help. He pushes a panel and it poppes open revealing fire nation armor.

"Get dressed, we're sneaking on board."

"No."

"Im a girl" katara says

"Yes sokka, and the fire nation is a lot more lax on gender roles."

"Oh so they have one saving grace." she says sarcastically.

"Lets not get into this now, you need to learn how to act like a soldier."

* * *

Zuko ties his ship on the beach near port he leads katara and sokka onto the port sneaking past the guards he boosts them up onto the ship before following after them he leads them through the halls their marching not perfect but hopefully not enough to give them away they reach the prison and zuko walks them in the two walking in and katara and sokka standing along the wall staring at the door.

"Princess azula sent us to relieve you."

"3 of you?"

"She is the avatar, we can't underestimate her."

He takes a moment before nodding.

"Well, better you than me." and with that he walked off, zuko moving to where he was standing, waiting until the footsteps were far enough away.

"Stay here." he tells them, grabbing the keys from the wall opening the cell to find korra chained to the wall, her hair hanging in front of her face. Her head rises and he can see her blue eyes.

"If you try anything i'll kill you."

"Korra it's me." he takes his helmet off, dropping it.

"Prince zuko. To what do I owe the pleasure." she asks using his title in her tone."

"The honor is all mine avatar korra." he responds.

"Point, how did you get in here."

He walks over to her unshackling her.

"We used my ship."

"We?"

"Your family is the most stubborn I've ever met, you're siblings untied me and told me they were coming along."

"My dad tied you up?" ehs asks as he frees her other hand.

"Good thing he doesn't know about last night huh? He would have done much worse." A choking noise can be heard and the door is thrown open to a red katara and sokka ,charging at zuko only for korra to trip him.

"Now is not the time." the 3 say in unison and sokka grumbles as korra lifts him up. Zuko pulls his helmet back on, tossing Korra a water pouch, moving to look out into the hall finding it empty.

"We need to move, with such a high level prisoner there will be patrols much more often we need to go now." the quartet moves down the corridor

"Hey!" a voice at the end of the hall yells and zuko jumps past them sending a massive blast of fire down the hall slamming the man into the wall.

"Move!" he yells and they take off down the hall running as an alarm is blared. They reach the deck and see his sister and a battalion coming across the dock.

"Korra, katara can you freeze the water around the ship?"

"We will." Korra states going to one side of the ship katara on the other moving their arms in unison the water under the ship starting to shift before the ship tilts freezing in place.

"Hurry, into the water." he tells them picking up sokka and throwing him turning to see his sister appear over the edge of the ship planting her feet and moving her arms electricity forming as the world seems to move in slow motion zuko running and shoving korra out of the way taking the full force of the lighting bolt flying being thrown back over the edge of the ship.


End file.
